Chicago Bears sign McHenry native Robert Tonyan

The Bears are signing local tight end Robert Tonyan, according to a report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The McHenry native has spent the past five seasons with the Green Bay Packers.

Tonyan caught 53 passes for 470 yards and two touchdowns last season with the Packers. In five years, he totaled 1,437 yards and 17 touchdowns, with a career-high 11 touchdowns during the 2020 season. Tonyan tore his ACL midway through the 2021 season, but has otherwise been a key contributor for the Packers’ offense over the past three seasons.

Adding Tonyan will give the Bears more local flavor at a tight end position that already includes Lake Barrington native Cole Kmet. Tonyan was a multi-sport athlete at McHenry, winning the 2012 Northwest Herald Boys Basketball Player of the Year award and playing quarterback for the Warriors football team.

He played college ball at Indiana State before briefly signing with the Detroit Lions as an undrafted rookie in 2017. Tonyan signed with the Packers practice squad later that season.

[ Packers TE Robert Tonyan, family ‘always thought that he would get a chance’ in NFL ]

Bears add RB D’Onta Foreman

The Bears made another addition at running back Thursday, signing former Panthers’ running back D’Onta Foreman to a one-year, #3 million contract, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

After the Panthers traded Christian McCaffrey at the trade deadline last year, Foreman emerged as the lead back in Carolina. He rushed for 914 yards and five touchdowns on 203 carries last season. The former third-round draft pick of the Texans has played five NFL seasons for Houston, Tennessee and Carolina.

Foreman figures to split snaps with Bears running back Khalil Herbert. The Bears could still opt to draft a running back, too, next month.